Among the terrible and shocking stories we’ve heard about Matt Lauer recently is a rumor about an affair he allegedly had with his former Today co-star Natalie Morales. Natalie, who now is a host for Access Hollywood, left the popular NBC morning show in 2016, and many think it had to do with tensions getting hot between her and Matt. The two have denied the affair, but rumors, not surprisingly, continue to run rampant. Scroll down to read everything we know about Matt and Natalie’s rumored affair.

Matt abruptly stopped supporting Natalie

Shortly after she jumped ship from Today, sources told Page Six that it was because her affair with the 60-year-old ended. “There’s speculation it’s one of the reasons why she’s moving… Matt didn’t want to work with her,” an insider said at the time. Apparently, Matt was once one of Natalie’s biggest champions at NBC, but all of a sudden his support came to a halt. “There’s an awkwardness between Matt and Natalie,” the source revealed. “He protected her for a long time and now it seems like something has gone awry.”

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Natalie denies anything ever happened

After the story broke of an alleged affair between the two, the 45-year-old reporter, not surprisingly, was livid. Not long after the gossip started, Natalie released a statement vehemently denying an affair with her co-worker. “There is absolutely no truth to this completely absurd story. It is damaging, hurtful, and extremely sexist,” she said in a statement. “I have proven myself in all aspects of my job as a news professional and journalist, and am adding to my role, taking on three jobs with Access Hollywood Live and Access Hollywood, in addition to Today. This move was dictated by me and my desire to grow in my career. Any insinuations beyond that are uninformed.”

Matt also denies anything ever happened

Not long after Natalie released a statement about the supposed affair, Matt released one as well. The disgraced news anchor said, “Every aspect of this story is untrue, and it’s frankly sad that someone would tell lies to harm everyone involved.” Noah Oppenheim, the NBC News President, even chimed in, saying, “Suggestions that Natalie’s new role and salary is anything but the result of her merit, is not only not true — it’s sexism in its ugliest form and it’s offensive.”

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Natalie supports the woman who accused Matt of sexual misconduct

Being that it’s a gossip show, Natalie had to discuss Matt’s scandal on Access Hollywood Live — and make no mistake about it; she fully supports the accuser. “The Today show, of course, has been my family for 16 years now and it is difficult. I think everyone is saying how difficult it is to process the news,” she said. “I have personally dealt with rumors in the past four years that were hurtful to me, my family — they diminished my hard work.” She then added, “That is not the story today, though. The story today is the courage of a colleague who did come forward, and when and if she wants to tell her story publicly, I’m sure she will. But it did take a lot of courage for her to come forward. It was no doubt a very painful decision.”

Natalie’s husband stuck by her through the rumors

During the time rumors of the “affair” started surfacing, both Natalie and Matt were married. Natalie has managed to keep her marriage to investment banker Joe Rhodes out of the public, and she continued to do so during the Matt affair media storm. Together, Natalie and Joe share two sons together — Luke and Josh — and they’re still happily married to this day. Rumors be damned.

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